In the past walk-behind trowelling machines have been employed which incorporate a rotor that carries a plurality of surface working members or trowels. By manually exerting pressure on the handle, the rotor can be tilted to cause the desired directional movement of the machine over the surface.
More recently, riding type trowelling machines have been utilized which incorporate two or more rotors, each of which carries a plurality of trowels. As described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,936,212 and 4,046,484 directional movement of the riding type trowelling machine can be achieved by a mechanism in which each rotor is hinged to the frame and the operator applies selective downward tilting pressure to specific locations on the guard rings that surround each rotor. The pressure is applied by a complicated linkage system actuated by a control stick and foot pedals. Through this system, the rotors can be individually tilted with respect to the frame to cause directional movement of the machine over the surface.
With the directional control system as described in the aforementioned patents, the operator must continually apply pressure through the hand and foot controls to cause directional movement of the machine. The continual application of pressure can be fatiguing to the operator over an extended period of time.
As a further problem, the conventional riding type trowelling machine has no provision for transporting the machine from one location to another at a given site. For example, if it is desired to move the machine to a different location, the machine must be lifted and carried by several workmen, or alternately, a hoist or material handling equipment must be employed to transport the machine.